I continued my journey with the elves, clearing out the occasional bug that crawled out of the bushes or small holes here and there. It wasn't exactly a peaceful forest, but it seemed like I was the only target.
Was it because I was human? An outsider?
Well, that didn't matter now. What mattered was that light and whatever had brought me here. It didn't sit right with me at all, especially not knowing where my brother might be. Besides, it felt too specific to be a coincidence, yet somehow, it was still chaotic.
If it were a teleportation spell, you would appear with your feet on the ground or, at worst, on top of a magic circle. But I appeared in mid-air. That meant only one thing: the spell completely ignored elevation. It couldn't distinguish between the ground and the sky.
If my brother ended up on the Demon Continent…
Did he also appear above ground, or did he fall from the sky like I did?
Then again, considering his magic, I'm sure he would have survived anyway. But there's also the possibility that someone appeared underground, fused into solid rock, inside some cave or dungeon, or at the bottom of the sea. I got lucky; "falling" is the better option.
[Stop thinking about those things. Analyze the situation at hand, don't wander off.]
Ayam was right. I was getting too carried away with my analysis, and right now the only thing I had to do was not let myself slip up because of it.
…You're right, Ayam… Huh, it feels weird calling you that.
I sighed.
As for my location, I was in the Great Forest on the Millis continent. That meant I was a long way from Asura.
Regarding the elves, they live in the southeast of the Great Forest, and we were currently heading toward their village.
By the way, to the north lies the territory of the Beast Race, where Ghislaine used to live. Although she never told me why she left, I never wanted to ask. Back when she mentioned her village, I was solely focused on training.
My thoughts also drifted to my parents. Were they okay? Were they looking for us after hearing about the incident? Even though my father was strong, an advanced swordsman in all three styles, Norn and Aisha could be in danger if he decided to go out searching for us. I could only hold onto the certainty that they hadn't left, that they decided to wait for us, that they trusted us, but…
[They might be looking for you. You are their children, after all.]
…As always, someone had to nag me.
'Why do you always have to ruin my calm?'
She didn't answer. The only sounds were the birds and our footsteps squelching on the swampy ground.
'Ayam… is it pronounced I-am… That is…'
[I didn't think of it for that reason. Oh, and to answer you, I'm not doing anything. You're the one constantly thinking about others instead of watching your own feet.]
'I…'
I wanted to refute her, to argue that it was indeed her fault, but I realized she was right. If I allowed myself to make assumptions, I would only show weakness. Everything I've told people about having control, not fearing, and not wasting opportunities would dissolve and break like empty words. And right now, I needed to use all of that.
And about that God… if I appeared this far from my brother, and he told me I should save him by boarding the first ship I could find, then assuming he is an omniscient being who sees and knows everything, I should assume the sea is treacherous. The world is huge, and nothing guaranteed I would find my brother on my own.
Does he really want me to save Rudeus, or does he need me to die trying?
Although going to find him was a plan, I don't even know exactly where I am, aside from being in the Great Forest on the Millis continent. Looking at a map isn't the same as living it, and I needed to gather information about the incident. And even if I decided to go, nothing assured me that, on such a vast continent, I would stand a chance of finding him.
"Boy."
The elves spoke in the language of the Beast God. However, only the father and a girl my age were capable of speaking the human tongue.
"Sorry, I was thinking too much, you know… about my brother."
The elf man, who I assumed was the father of the family, looked at me with a faint smile.
"You aren't a Halfling by any chance, are you?"
A Halfling…?
That makes sense.
My father says they use their short stature and youthful appearance to take advantage of humans, tricking them into believing they are just children.
"No, sir. I'm only ten years old and I am human."
The man seemed to think for a moment. The other elves, especially the girl who seemed to be my age, watched me with curiosity.
The children looked at me the way one looks at a superhero. At their age, I used to be the same, like when I asked my mother for money to buy volumes of Dragon Ball. Before the fire, before everything was lost to the flames.
"I understand. You look like one, so at least people won't look at you strangely. Just don't expect hospitality like ours everywhere else; they don't know you, nor do they know what you did, but I'll make sure to spread the word."
"Understood, sir."
I couldn't do anything else. It was better to pretend to be something I'm not than to end up scaring them; that was precisely what I wanted to avoid.
I remembered Paul's doubt and touched my hair instinctively. It was an automatic response from my body, one I didn't anticipate, triggered by the lingering memory of that moment I still can't fully erase.
---
The path was quite calm. The elves knew where to go, avoiding natural traps and the occasional monster, mostly using wind magic.
There was a chance they had taken down that griffin themselves. It was weakened and starving… Even so, they seemed grateful. They didn't care for a moment that I had fallen from the sky if it meant I had helped them. They didn't even ask for an explanation.
We finally arrived at the village. Looking up, it wasn't beautiful because of its size, but because of how perfectly it blended with nature.
The architecture was built right into the trees. Some houses were suspended in the highest branches, connected by bridges, while others had been carved into the trunks of the widest trees. I assumed they used the dense foliage itself as a shield against the rain.
While climbing naturally up a vine ladder that swayed in the air, the children shouted in their language:
"The Halfling is amazing!"
"I want to be just as cool!"
"Will you teach me to climb with that much confidence?!"
"How did you manage to fall from the sky?!"
That was all they said. Then I noticed how they eyed the sword at my waist with curiosity. They had seen it before, but they were still intrigued.
I unsheathed it, raising it above my head. The children closed their eyes at the ringing sound.
"I call it Tempest, or Temphestalis…"
The oldest boy tried to grab it, but I quickly pulled it away.
"Children! Don't bother the guest!"
"But Mom, I just wanted to hold it!"
"That is precisely why you shouldn't…" She then looked at me. "Forgive them, sometimes they are too curious."
She winked at me before grabbing all four by the arm and dragging them into the house as if they weighed nothing.
[Mental note: don't make the mother angry.]
...Yeah, you're right.
The father and the three boys also left, leaving me alone with the two elf girls.
"…What's your name?" asked the one with honey-colored hair. She got close enough to speak, but without invading my space.
"My name is Daiki."
She put her hands behind her back and leaned to the side, wide-eyed with the kind of curiosity someone simply can't contain.
"You aren't from around here, are you? That name is strange, no offense."
I looked at her for a moment.
"I come from the Central Continent… from the Kingdom of Asura."
She twitched her ears slightly, just like Sylphy used to do when she was curious.
"From the Central Continent? What is a human child doing so far away? I thought you were from the Holy Country of Millis."
"Do you know that place?"
"Not personally, but I've heard of it. They say Millishion is a beautiful, unique city…" She paused for a moment. "I mean, no, I don't know it specifically, only from stories."
"Well… you could say I have 'citizenship' by birthright."
She twitched her ears again.
"Citizenship? Birthright?"
…
"Ah… I mean my mother was born there. I am part of her people, nothing more."
"I understand. Blood calls to blood."
"Even so…"
"Hmm?"
"From what I know, I might not be welcome there because of my appearance."
"What's weird about your appearance?"
I looked at her for a moment.
"Well… I haven't introduced myself. My name is Sylvara. Nice to meet you, Daiki," she said with a radiant smile.
Surprisingly, I smiled back.
"And my name is Lyrisel," the other one practically grunted; she had short hair, the same color as Sylvara's, and looked like the tougher of the two.
"She's not a woman of many words, but she is gentle," Sylvara said, introducing her.
I raised my hand in greeting.
"Kids, time to eat!" shouted the mother, almost making me trip from the fright.
"We're coming!" Sylvara practically grabbed my hand.
"Me too? But… I was just passing through…"
She dragged me along as my shoes slowly fell apart.
Dinner was spectacular.
"Mom makes the best meat, doesn't she?" said Sylvara, her belly completely full, letting herself slump back in the chair.
"Yes, it was delicious. Even so, I don't feel like I deserve all this."
She shook her head.
"It's not just that. It's also our way of paying you back for helping us."
"But you could have defeated it—"
"Maybe, maybe not," she interrupted. "We don't know how a griffin attacks… and they move through the air, so hush and accept our payment. Understood?"
She tried to sound wise, but she leaned back so far that she tipped over and fell backward, losing all credibility in the process.
"Y-you understood, right…?" she stammered, red up to her ears.
"Yes, I understand."
I let out a small laugh.
"Daiki?"
A voice came from behind. I turned to see Sylmeria peeking out from one of the rooms, gesturing for me to come closer.
"What is it?"
"I got the bath ready for you. Hurry, the water is getting cold."
I stood up immediately.
"Don't worry about that, I can heat the water using Hot Hand."
She arched an eyebrow.
"Fine, everything is ready then." She gave me a warm smile. "You have new clothes too. They aren't the best… but they're what my son used to wear when he was your age."
...
I entered the room with the tub.
It was small, and in the center stood a deep tub carved from a single hollow trunk.
I entered slowly, setting my things aside. I carefully took off the destroyed vest, then the pants, and finally my shoes. The only thing I really missed from my past life was footwear… And the only thing that survived was my underwear, nothing else.
I got in slowly, enjoying every sensation.
"…I really needed this…"
After soaking for more than half an hour, keeping the water at the perfect temperature with Hot Hand, I finally decided it was time to get out.
I sat up slowly.
I took the towel they had left for me and dried my arms and torso while, almost out of habit, combining a bit of wind and fire magic to create a warm breeze to dry my hair faster.
I walked out of the room feeling refreshed, wearing the new clothes.
It wasn't a particularly elaborate outfit: black pants that reached my knees, just like the previous ones, and a white short-sleeved shirt. The vest they left me was also black.
"Come, Daiki, let's go to sleep," said Sylvara, waving me over.
I followed her, and when I entered the room, I paused.
It was big, much larger than I expected, and all the beds were in the same space. There was no distinction between older siblings, younger ones, cousins, or uncles. They simply slept together, something very different from what I was used to.
"Don't worry, we already made your bed. It's simple, but it beats sleeping in the forest, right?" said Sylvara with that natural ease she seemed to have for everything.
I took a resigned step and lay down on the bed they pointed out.
I stared at the ceiling, listening to the soft breathing of the others, until all the candles went out.
"Good night, Daiki…" For a second, I thought I could feel Sylvara's breath.
"Good night, Sylvara."
And with that small certainty, I drifted off to sleep.
---
"Young Eris… think of the sword as an extension of yourself…"
"Rudy, who are you selling those figures to…?"
"Ghislaine… read this book and, by the end of the day, tell me what you understood…"
Light…
Hikari…
Light…
For a moment, I was back in Roa.
Back in that mansion, before anything terrible had happened, where the thing in the sky was nothing more than a storm. It was as if Rudeus had just finished his demonstration; Ghislaine was training me as always, and I could sleep peacefully without needing my sword by my side, without being on constant alert… And there was Eris, challenging me to a duel every time she achieved something significant in her training with Ghislaine.
She always lost, of course, but she never gave up.
Even Phillip… who was always there with his obvious hints.
"They say couples who train together end up becoming closer than they expect."
Or…
"If they keep this up, I'll have to start preparing the hall for an engagement."
But no…
The light returned, and with it, reality.
I am still here, in the elf village.
I woke up with my face soaked in sweat. Since the incident, everything had been too intense… and a single moment of vulnerability almost broke me in two.
I put on my shoes, adjusted my clothes, and grabbed Temphestalis.
Dawn was about to break, yet no one was asleep. Not even the youngest ones. Everything was silent…
The family received me with a joy that almost threw me off.
They had prepared a large leather bag for my journey, filled with some food… and Sylmeria's special meat, which I had loved from the first bite.
"This is for saving us… I know you have to leave, but we want you to take the family insignia with you. That bag has it. It belonged to my father… and no one felt worthy of carrying it. Please, would you honor it?"
I didn't know what to say.
"I… that has undeniable value to you. Why would you give something like that to a human you barely know?"
Sylmeria simply clasped her hands behind her back and looked at me calmly.
"Because my father used to say that only the truly brave are capable of carrying his bag. That is all. Besides… it's better than watching it turn to dust, don't you think? I know you'll put it to good use."
"Exactly, accept it, Daiki," said Sylvara nervously, fidgeting while her ears twitched.
The children also raised their arms, insisting that I accept it.
"Alright, alright… but don't kill me if I manage to break it," I said with a bit of irony.
That got a laugh out of everyone.
"We promise nothing," they said in unison.
I carefully went down the stairs.
When I touched the ground, I felt the dampness and the mud.
...
Several days have passed since then.
I don't have a very good sense of time under this dense canopy; I couldn't even see the sun from down here.
Everything was going according to plan… I only had to get close to the Great Tree. That would be my first reference point to reorient myself and head toward the Holy Sword Highway. I calculated that if I managed to reach the main roads without setbacks, the rest of the journey would be a piece of cake.
"G-get me out of here, damn you… nya!…"
…What was that? By the sound of it, it was a girl.
I approached slowly, using the enormous trees for cover. And when I finally saw what was happening, my eyes snapped open…
They had a beast girl locked in a wagon reinforced with metal bars. Everything was built to contain brute force. They knew perfectly well that it wouldn't be easy to hold someone of her race.
There were five men, along with a guard who seemed to be the most skilled of the group; they were eating and laughing as if the thing behind them was nothing more than an animal.
The girl was trying to break the bars with all her strength. She pulled, pushed, even bit them, desperate… but it was useless.
Just as I put my hand on my hilt, the guard approached the cage.
He slipped his hand between the bars and tried to grab her tail.
"Come on, kitty… show me a little…"
The girl froze for a second. She approached slowly, then sank her teeth into the man's hand with such force that, when he managed to rip it free, his fingers were hanging by threads.
It was the perfect moment.
I launched myself forward, shooting out of my hiding place. But in mid-jump, another man emerged from the bushes, as if he had been waiting for that exact instant. He was another of the Beast race. His sword clashed against mine at an almost identical angle. It was like watching giant shears snapping shut.
The slaver's head ended up rolling at my feet.
"A-amazing, Papa! It was so fast, and you… and you…! Even more, nya!"
The girl trembled between excitement and shock, unable to fully comprehend what had just happened.
Even so, our eyes met.
And for an instant, I thought I understood the look in her eyes: relief, fear, hope… and something else. Something I wasn't quite prepared for.